All In Good Time: Book Six of The Thistle & Hive Series

by Jennae Vale

  “Did you say prescription bottle?” Sara looked up at Kat, eyes wide.

  “Aye. Yes, Sara. I’m a fellow time traveler and so is Nick.” Kat smiled.

  “Amazing! So is Logan!”

  “We’ll have to speak more about our experiences, but for now I’m going to tend to Rory.” Sara moved to the end of the bed so Kat could take her seat. She looked back at Rory, he was lying there so still.

  “Thank you, Sara.” Nick came to her and wrapped her in a hug.

  “I’m just trying to help,” she said.

  “Is it true? Is Aisla carrying Rory’s babe?”

  “She is,” Sara answered.

  “Then ’tis good ye came. Shall we go downstairs and break our fast.” Nick motioned towards the door.

  “I’m sure Logan is starving.” Sara smiled lovingly at him.

  “I am, but you ken I’m always hungry,” Logan replied.

  They quietly left the room and went down to the great hall where they met Hamish who was already fully involved with his food.

  “There ye be,” he observed.

  “I thought you were going to see yer cousin,” Logan said.

  “Aye. I am, but nourishment comes first,” Hamish replied.

  “I see yer nose led ye to the food early,” Logan said, sitting down beside him. “Have ye left any fer me?”

  “Where have ye been?” He eyed Logan suspiciously and then glanced at Sara with a warm smile.

  “We were up in Rory’s room,” Sara answered as she took a seat next to Logan. Nick sat across from them.

  “How is he?” Hamish asked.

  “’Tis hard to say,” Nick said. “We can only hope that the medicine Sara brought with her will help.”

  Hamish eyed Sara with question.

  “I had it in my pouch and just remembered it this morning,” she said.

  A servant brought food and ale to the table. Sara had yet to get used to all this ale drinking. Ale, wine, whisky and water were all she’d been drinking since she’d arrived. She tried to stick to the water as much as possible. Helene had a well with the purest water she’d ever tasted. If she could bottle it and bring it back to San Francisco, she’d be a millionaire in no time.

  “Could I have water,” she asked the servant, who nodded and hurried off to retrieve it.

  “Is Hamish in on yer little secret?” Nick said, piquing Hamish’s curiosity.

  “He’s not,” Sara chuckled.

  “Secret?” he asked.

  Sara laughed. Hamish was going to be a hard sell, but how could he dismiss what they had to say when so many of them were saying it. He appeared as if he might come right out of his skin if they didn’t tell him in that instant.

  “Hamish, ye may nae believe what we’re going to tell ye, and ’tis a secret, so ye must keep it to yerself. Ye ken?” Logan waited for an answer.

  Hamish looked from one to the other, to the other and then nodded his agreement.

  Sara laughed at the comical way he was staring at them. When she had managed to get herself under control, she said, “I might as well just come right out and say it. ‘I’m from the future.”

  “Hah!” Hamish barked. “I dinnae believe ye. Yer having fun at me expense.”

  “’Tis true,” Nick confirmed. “She is from the future. I’ve been there meself, as has me wife.”

  “Logan, do ye believe them?” Hamish asked.

  “Aye. I’ve been there too,” Logan replied.

  “Nae. It cannae be.” It seemed he didn’t believe them.

  “But ’tis.” Logan caught Hamish’s eye and looking directly at him repeated with conviction. “’Tis.”

  Hamish pushed his trencher away, despite the fact that it was still filled with food. “Why are ye telling me this? I’ve been happy enough nae believing in any such thing.”

  “We thought it might be easier for you to understand some things about me. Like the medicine I brought with me.”

  “I’ve thought all along that ye were different from the lasses at Breaghacraig.” His brows raised and his mouth opened in surprise. “Yet yer much like the Ladies Ashley and Jenna.”

  “I am.” She couldn’t help chuckling at his astonishment.

  “Who else has traveled to the future?” Hamish asked. “Cailin, Cormac, Dougall, Helene,” Logan listed them all off to him.

  “Am I the only one who hasnae?” he seemed incredulous.

  “Nae. Ye are one of the few people who’ve been entrusted with this information. I hope ye’ll keep our secret, Hamish.” Nick Mackall leaned across the table as he spoke.

  “Aye, sir. I will.” He shook his head in apparent disbelief. “If ye’ll excuse me, I must walk outside in the fresh air.” He got up and left the hall, shaking his head the whole way.

  “Where are ye from, Sara?” Nick asked.

  “San Francisco.”

  “’Tis where I lived when I was there.” He seemed pleased to hear she was too.

  “Really?” Sara asked.

  “Aye. I ran a medieval martial arts studio in the city.”

  Sara’s eyes flew open. “Are you kidding me? Of course. You’re Nick Mackall! I’m such a dummy. I should have known. My brother Zeke worked for you.”

  It was Nick’s turn to look shocked. “Zeke! He’s a good man. How is he?”

  “He’s great. He’s still running the studio and living in the same place.”

  “I’m happy to hear it. I miss him a great deal. He was a great help to me.”

  “He talks about you all the time. If you didn’t already know it, you helped turn his life around. And that, in turn, helped me. So, thank you.”

  Logan was looking quite puzzled by their conversation. He knew Zeke and he’d seen the medieval martial arts studio. He rubbed his chin in a gesture Sara was coming to understand meant he was thinking.

  “Isn’t this amazing, Logan?” She didn’t wait for his answer, instead speaking to Nick again. “Logan was in San Francisco, too. He came with Dougall MacRae and they both saw the studio and met Zeke. Do you know Wade Granville?”

  “Aye! Wade! He worked with me as well.” Nick’s excitement at hearing about his old friends was palpable.

  “He still works with Zeke. They make a great team.” Sara was happy Zeke had someone he could rely on while she was away. Wade would be sure Zeke didn’t overdo it with work.

  “They both deserve a good and happy life,” Nick said.

  “I worry about Zeke though. He works all the time and he really has no personal life.”

  “No woman?”

  “No.”

  Nick seemed perplexed by this. “He never had a problem with women when I knew him. What’s happened?”

  “His heart was broken,” Sara said, casting a glance at Logan. “He threw himself into the studio when she left.”

  “I’m sorry to hear it. I hope he doesnae let it deter him in the future.”

  Sara could see that he truly meant it. “Hopefully not.”

  “I cannae believe yer here. Zeke’s sister! What will he do without ye to look after him?”

  Sara felt guilty again. She looked down at the table, “I don’t know.” She shook her head, “I may be going back. It depends on what happens here.” She chanced a look at Logan who also seemed to be studying the table.

  “If ye go back, I’d like to go with ye,” Hamish said, he stood looming over Nick’s head. Sara hadn’t noticed his return, which was comical given how big he was.

  Logan shot him an angry glare.

  “I want to see what ’tis like. ’Tis the only reason,” he was obviously trying to appease Logan. Sara couldn’t help but laugh at Logan’s expression.

  “Well, ye can only go if Edna allows it, and I dinnae think she will.” Logan spoke a bit more harshly than was necessary.

  Sara thought it kind of adorable that Logan was jealous and trying to protect her from Hamish. If Rory didn’t make it and she had to go back to San Francisco, Hamish might go back with her, but only as a fri
end. She’d probably end up just like Zeke. No interest in finding someone to replace the love that broke her heart. She latched on to Logan’s hand under the table. He gave it a comforting squeeze and then proceeded to massage it with his thumb.

  Kat joined them. “He’s still sleeping.”

  “’Tis good. His body needs the rest to heal,” Nick said.

  She sat next to Sara. “Thank ye, Sara. I’m so happy ye had the medicine fer him.”

  “Thank Edna. She handed me the pouch at the bridge.”

  “’Tis good she did. Who is this Edna? Ye’ve mentioned her before.”

  “She’s the keeper of the bridge,” Nick said. “She helped me return home with Richard. I can’t believe I’ve never mentioned her to ye.”

  “She’s a witch,” Sara explained.

  They ate and talked and when they were done, Nick had duties to attend to, taking Logan along with him. Hamish went off to visit his cousin and that left Sara and Kat alone to talk.

  “So, tell me, Sara. How long have ye been in love with Logan?” Kat asked as soon as the men were out of earshot.

  Sara was taken aback by Kat’s straight forward question. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m nae blind. Tis plain to see how ye feel.”

  “I believe I’ve been in love with him from the first moment I saw him.” This was the first time she’d admitted that to herself.

  “Truly love at first sight?” Kat leaned in with eyes wide and questioning.

  “Yes.” Sara said. “Truly.”

  “But there’s a problem,” Kat surmised.

  “You’re good. Do you make a habit of reading minds?”

  Kat laughed. “Nae. Only yers.”

  “There is a slight problem. Logan is betrothed to Rory’s Aisla. He promised to marry her because…”

  Kat finished her sentence for her. “Because he’s a good man. The kind of man you want in your life.”

  Sara nodded. “He gave his word and he plans to stick to it unless Rory comes back for her.”

  “That may nae happen. There’s nae guarantee he’ll ever recover.”

  “I know,” Sara sighed, “and I’ve resigned myself to the fact that if that happens, I will give him up.”

  “’Tis verra noble of ye. How does Aisla feel about this?”

  “I don’t know really. She knows Logan doesn’t love her in that way, but being an unwed mother in this time would be hard for her and the child.”

  Kat’s face brightened. “She could come and live here with us. Rory’s bairn will be family and so will she.”

  “That’s really kind of you. She’d still face criticism though, wouldn’t she?” Sara could not allow the small glimmer of hope to grow. There were too many variables, too many ways everything could go wrong.

  “Nae. The doings of the Mackall Clan arenae something that those who are extended members of the clan are privy too. Nick’s mother and sisters would welcome a bairn to spoil.”

  “Are they here? I haven’t seen them.”

  “Nae. They’ve gone to Edinburgh to visit cousins along with Nick’s brothers Duncan, Aidan and Lockie.”

  “Do they know about Rory?” Sara couldn’t imagine they would leave with him in this condition.

  Kat appeared worried. “He was well enough when they left. We’ve sent word for them to return. I can only hope they’ll be back in time.”

  “You don’t sound hopeful that he’ll make it.”

  “He went downhill quickly.” Kat’s voice was soft as she looked towards the stairs that led to Rory’s room. It was clear that she cared for her brother-in-law and watching him suffer was taking a toll. “I have hope, but I’m also a realist. Rory is a good man. ’Twill hurt the family to lose him.”

  “Don’t say that. He’s going to make it.” He has to make it.

  “If your determination alone could make it so, Sara, then he’d be up walking tomorrow morning.” Kat leaned over putting an arm around Sara and touching her head to head. “Yer a good woman.”

  Sara didn’t feel like a good woman. Originally the reason she was here was a selfish one and she couldn’t help wishing that Rory would recover quickly so that she could have Logan all to herself. She was happy to have Kat to bear her soul to. She’d been unsure at first, but she found that Kat was very intuitive and understood the situation perfectly. She didn’t judge Sara or Logan.

  “So, tell me, if Edna didn’t send you to this time, how did you get here?”

  “’Tis a long tale. I was born in this time, but in order to save me from some evil that was occurring at the time, the elves sent me to the future. I was but a babe at the time. I grew up there believing I was an orphan.”

  “Wow! Did you say elves?”

  “I did and they do exist, as do faeries.” Kat’s eyes sparkled as she spoke of the creatures. “I grew up fascinated by history, which makes a lot of sense, now. I became an archeologist and was working on a project at Sinclair castle when I found a large emerald. I’d no sooner put it in my hand than I found myself back in this time.”

  “How did you meet Nick?”

  “He saved me from some verra bad men. I had no idea at the time that I actually belonged here. I found that I have a brother and I was born at the very Sinclair Castle that I was working at as an archeologist. Nick and I fell in love and married. I’ve been here at Dunaill ever since.”

  “So, there’s more than one way to time travel,” Sara mused.

  “Aye. I believe there are many ways.”

  “At least two that we know of,” Sara said. Maggie had been right when she’d told her to keep an open mind.

  Logan was having a similar conversation with Nick as they made the rounds of the castle.

  “Rory will much appreciate what yer doing fer him, but what of ye and Sara?”

  “Sara kens the way of it. She has a kind heart and only wishes the best for Aisla and the bairn. She wished to find Rory and she has. ’Tis nae how she hoped it would be, but she can still go back home and have a good life.”

  “Without ye?” Nick seemed astounded that Logan would be alright with that.

  “Aye. ’Tis the way it must be. I’ve pledged meself to Aisla. We’d have been married by now if it wasnae for Sara.”

  “Well, ’tis good that she’s here then. I’m to be an uncle and me mother a grandmother. Now we ken it and we can help Aisla. The little one shall be a Mackall. If the unthinkable happens, Logan, ye must come and live here with us. I can always use a good man like yerself by me side.”

  “’Tis kind of ye. Aisla may nae wish to leave her Da behind. She’s his only child.”

  “He’s welcome to join ye,” Nick clapped Logan on the back.

  “I’ve much to think on, but first we must see if Rory will battle his way back to good health.”

  “He’s so many here wishing him well and praying for his recovery, how could it not be so.” Nick was obviously an optimist and Logan appreciated that.

  Until this point, he would have said he was as well, but the thought of losing Sara had done a lot to take that optimism away. He made up his mind to do as Nick was doing and look for the positive in this situation.

  It was a lot less painful than the alternative.

  Chapter 14

  “Maggie, I’m going to Dunaill.” Edna came down the stairs dressed in medieval finery. “Dr. Ferguson is accompanying me.”

  “Is Uncle Angus okay with this? I’d think he’d want to go with ye,” Maggie appeared to be worried.

  “Yer uncle is just fine with it, or he will be.” Edna hadn’t actually told him she was going, only that she thought she should.

  “When did you decide to do this?” Maggie asked.

  “Last night. I’ve been keeping an eye on Sara and Logan, as ye know, and realized that there was a way I could help them.”

  “And…”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Maggie. I ken yer nae mind reader, are ye? I must find a way to save Rory so he and Aisla can be married. Then Logan wi
ll be free to be with Sara, if he so wishes.” She gazed at herself in the mirror and was quite happy with what she saw. Her dress was an iridescent blueish black with hints of peacock when the light hit it just right. She noted that Maggie had a puzzled expression on her face and turned back to her.

  “Wait. I thought you said you couldn’t interfere with Logan and Sara.” Maggie said.

  “I am not going to interfere with Logan and Sara, I am going to try and save Rory. He is sick and no one knows what to do. Sara has tried giving him the antibiotics I provided, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. If he lived in this time, Dr. Ferguson would have him up and around in no time. So I am going to take Dr. Ferguson to him.” She smiled and there was a twinkle in her eye, “See, it has nothing to do with Logan and Sara.”

  Maggie laughed. “Okay, Auntie. If you say so.” Maggie shook her head, “And if Rory and Aisla are together, it would make things much easier for Logan and Sara. That is just a coincidence, is it?”

  “Aye. That’s it in a nutshell, my darling niece.”

  “But yer leaving so soon. Is there anything ye need me to do from this end?”

  “Time is of the essence. As it is, we may be too late to do any good, but we must try, mustn’t we? As for the Thistle & Hive, keep an eye on Uncle Angus and the inn. I’ll keep in touch so ye ken where we are.”

  “I’ll make sure everything runs smoothly in your absence.”

  “I ken ye will. Yer my star, Maggie.” She gave her a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Will ye see any of the others while yer there?”

  “I hope to see them all, with the exception of the Jeffords. That will have to wait for another time.”

  “Give them me best,” Maggie said.

  “I will do that, love. Don’t worry. If I need ye, I’ll be sure to be in contact.”

  “Edna, what’s going on here?” Angus asked as he entered the lobby.

  “Angus, love, I told ye last night that I thought I would be leaving for Breaghacraig and then Dunaill.” Edna could see Angus’ irritation with her and she hoped to convince him she was doing the right thing.